Heatwave
by mistX
Summary: Will Lennox runs into a new mech that's not welcomed by either side, and this mech loves to make things hot under the collar for just about everyone. Can Will reach out to this new comer or is he just going to get burned?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

He did not know how it happened. He crept along the fence. The lights were scanning the ground as he made his way to the edge of the field.

As he took his next step, his foot caught on the loose debris scattered over the area. Lennox was worried that he was about to get caught.

He was unsure if he had been discovered or not.

Even though the disruption was small, in his mind it had been so loud that it had the potential of alarming the entire sector.

Will kept thinking about how it started.

It was hard to believe he was in this situation since it was supposed to have been an easy operation.

Ironhide had wanted to come with him; however Optimis didn't believe it warranted an Autobot chaperon and had wanted Ironhide to conduct a security review of the compound.

Will had thought that the mission would be just an exploratory event, but it had quickly fell apart. He had arrived at the complex with two others. Both of them were scientists, who had years of experience in biotech engineering.

One of them had spilled coffee on Lennox's uniform, and he had to borrow another shirt which just happened to be identical to what the scientists were wearing. They even gave him a lab coat to use as a jacket, and Will had remarked that he must be changing careers.

Will was on edge when they entered the holding area for the materials in question.

What was supposed to be space debris or even destroyed remains of past encounters were quickly erased from his mind as he beheld the objects before him.

There weren't parts of this and there here and there. There were whole pieces and chucks of machines, some very alien looking.

Will would have loved to have sent a communication back to the Autobots but signals were restricted in this area.

He looked over his shoulder that the guy in charged and scowled at him as he scanned the area once more. 'Guess I'll just have to go along with this until I get back to base,' mused Will.

Will was working with the scientists; actually he was watching them work since this was not his area of expertise. Every now and then one of the scientists would ask him a question about an object to which Will could offer little knowledge.

It kept running through his mind, 'Why in the world did they request me for this?'

Will kept hoping that everything was dead or drained of energon or in some sort of stasis lock as he followed the scientists from one scrap heap to the next.

When one of the scientists poked an oblong piece of space debris, warning bells went in Will's head.

The oblong space debris began to shrill and blink as soon as the scientist touched it.

Seconds later, the object began to shift shape, and Will did not know whether it would be friend or foe, but he knew that didn't matter.

Just get out of its way!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Red eyes!

It had to have red eyes!

* * *

That thought was running through Will's mind as he moved through the compound. The new decepticon had quickly fried the two scientists that were standings right next to it when it woke up. Will has enough sense to dive for cover when the next round of heat waves or whatever you call them came his way.

* * *

Fortune had bestowed her lovely rays on Will because he had landed upon one of the access grates that linked the service tunnels in the complex. In the time it took the decepticon to advance on his position, William Lennox was gone. He had quickly moved as far away as he could.

* * *

When he got to another access door, he climbed above cautiously. Lennox looked around to see if that Decepticon was in the area. He released a sigh of relief when he did not spot any. Unknown to Lennox was that the Decepticon had spotted him. The Decepticon was silently watching Will Lennox as he made his way across the area.

* * *

Will stumbled again over something smoldering. Just as the wind shifted back in his direction, he recognized what it was. One of the guards!

* * *

He spun his head around again and noticed several smoldering lumps upon the group. Will tallied up the number to equal the guard detail that had come with them.

* * *

'What is this thing,' Will mused. The Deception slowly began to creep up on him. Will do not notice the advancement at first but recent rains had left puddles dotting the landscape and the sauntering ripples in the puddle by his feet were new.

* * *

Will noticed the advancing reflection ripple one more time ever so slightly. 'Great! Mechanical T-rex at my back,' Will growled as he made a wild dash for cover.

* * *

When it comes to human speed verses mech speed, it's no contest, but Will had to give it a try. The grip was tight, and he was sure that a rib might have cracked if not two of them. As Will grimaced through the pain, he looked up, showing no fear, into the Decepticon's face. "O.K., you have me. What is it you want?'

* * *

Will gritted his teeth as the hand holding him tightened. Then the hand holding him opened up just enough for the mech to see him entirely. Mechanical eyes and lasers scanned him before the hand closed back around him. "I say again, what do you want?"

* * *

Will was starting to get really ticked off by now. The Decepticon began to speak however it high pitched frequency hurt Will's ears. "You don't know English yet I take it." Will replied rubbing one ear. The Decepticon frown and spun around with Will in hand.

* * *

It reentered the holding area and strolled over to a communication hub. Its fingers on the other hand shifted and fine wires emerged and sank into the computers. The screen alit with light as images, numbers, and letters flew across the screen. Moments later the mech turned to look down at Will Lennox and announced,

* * *

"I am Sunstorm. You will serve my purposes until you offline."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

'You have got to be kidd'in me', thought Will as he stared into Sunstorm's face. "Listen, Sunstorm is it? I don't know what it is you think I can help you with especially since you have access to all kinds of data. It would appear that I'm a little redundant, not that I'm complaining about that. I enjoy begin online."

* * *

Sunstorm's optics narrowed at the diatribe, "True, you have little value; however that little value is necessary to my objectives. You will carry out tasks that I cannot while I am in camouflage mode."

* * *

Will grumbled "Why me" lowly, but Sunstorm heard. "Because of your cunning nature. That is a natural ability that I will need to make use of."

* * *

Will was in shock; forget being brave, he had only been spared because he was sneaky! That didn't do much for his ego. Will shifted again in the grip of Sunstorm trying to appease his injured ribs. Before he could ask exactly what those objectives where Sunstorm tensed up and then hurriedly carried him to the edge of the holding facility.

* * *

"We must go. Now." The large mech made a running jump and the whirls and hisses filled Will's ears and metal moved around him, encasing him within Sunstorm. He had wondered what kind of mech this was and know he knew, 'Oh wonderful, traffic cams won't touch this one.' When the whirls and clicks had stopped, the only sound was that of a cybertronian jet making its way through the sky.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

Check-in for Will Lennox's assignment had come and gone. At first, some assumed it might have been an oversight him part, that he was so engrossed in the assignment that he had forgotten to check in. When Epps had learned of his tardy friend, he had another idea all together.

* * *

Will Lennon was in trouble, and he sought out someone who would listen the first time. "Yo, Optimus, Ironhide! I need you guys to do something for me." Optimus and Ironhide were at what everyone called the 'Big Guys' desk. "What can we do for you." Both large mechs were reviewing the data from Ironhide's earlier work and he was pointing out to Optimus where they could make improvements and increase efficiency.

* * *

"Will hasn't checked in and nobody in his detail will answer their freaking phones. The holding area has this policy about cell signals interfering with their work so that's mostly restricted. I would understand that if not for the fact that no one and I mean no one is responding to any calls to that facility."

* * *

Ironhide flexed his arms and the guns began to spin. Will was his charge, and he had wanted to go with him in the beginning. "Optimus,…" "Now settle down old friend." Optimus put a reassuring hand on Ironhide's shoulder. Epps looked on and continued, " I need you guys to go with me to check it out. I know there was some freaking Cybertrony or what-not stuff there, but I think something's happened. Will would never miss a check-in unless something bad has happened. Never!"

* * *

Ironhide spun to come about face to face with his leader and friend. "Permission to search and rescue, Sir! …and defend and destroy if needed was the underlying comment echoing off of Ironhide's frame.

* * *

Optimus regarded both man and mech before him as he made his decision. "Permission granted. Take Prowl and Cliffjumper with you. Remind Cliffjumper to be cautious; he's still impulsive and the situation is unknown." "Got that Prime, I'll send a communication as soon as soon as we have learned what's happened to Lennox's team." Ironhide turned and in mid transformation began called the team members he would need. Epps hurried to catch up. He had no doubt that the big mech would leave him behind at the safety of the base if he didn't hurry.

* * *

**In another part of the planet…**

"What are we doing here?," Will inquired after Sunstorm had allowed him free movement about the observatory. They have landed at an observatory that was either closed for the season, in need of desperate repair, or both in Will's opinion.

* * *

Will found a position that didn't grate upon his ribs too much as he watched the mech set to work. Sunstorm connected with the antique-dated machinery, and it suddenly popped to life. He could hear the processors humming inside the little, faded gray computer cases.

* * *

'What a weird mech', thought Will as he studied his capture. As he studied him, one question kept coming up over and over again. "Do you have a brother?" Sunstorm turned from his work and regarded Will for a mere second or two before turning back to his work.

* * *

'Hmmm, that was interesting,' "I was just wondering, cause you remind me of someone I've met before." Will didn't want to add that it was someone he had 'shot' at before. If they were brothers, that might not go over too well in his situation.

* * *

"You know, he's build like you, have wings, flying, just doesn't talk as much, but hey that could be a good thing in families." Sunstorm spun around, "Yes, it's very good advice. I suggest you heed it. NOW!" 'Hit a nerve did I', Will smirked.

* * *

An hour or two passed before Will noticed much movement from Sunstorm. He had watched him constantly and every time he shifted or made a move get near an exit, Sunstorm tense and stopped what he was doing. It wasn't coincidence; Will had tested it several times over the hour.

* * *

Now Sunstorm was coming toward him. Will wondered what was up. "It's time to repair you so that you are useful and not a security risk." "Hey, if you didn't get it when you dumped all that data into that mech brain of yours, humans need time to heal. We just don't repair instantly like you mechs do."

* * *

Will's concern was growing as Sunstorm made no attempt to release him, nor did he appear to be pondering what Will had just told him. "I am aware human of your biological limitations." "I have a name you know. It's Will. William Lennox, not human, not hey you, just plain ole William Lennox and most just call me Will." "Then designation William Lennox…Will you will need…," Sunstorm tilted his head for a moment before proceeding, …"upgrades in order to continue to assist in the tasks for which I need completed with another's help. You should be grateful. These upgrades will benefit your model considerably."

* * *

Horror filled Will's face as the implication of what Sunstorm intended to do dawned on him. "No, no, no, no, no now wait just a minute. You can't do that."

* * *

Will was grasping for anything that would convince this oversized mech to stop. "You don't have to expertise on my kind. You don't know what you're doing. You're just a decepticon." That stopped Sunstorm in his tracks. "Just a decepticon? I imagine to you, that's what I would appear. However I assure you that I am quite more than that. I am more than Autobot, Decepticon, or even the Quintessons. I am what Vector Sigma has made me and that is more than what any can comprehend at this time. You will be grateful in time."

* * *

Will could not believe it. Not only did he get kidnapped by a decepticon, but it was a decepticon that was insane!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Now he knew who it was the Sunstorm reminded him of and all it took of all of that 'I'm better than the rest of you' speech to make it jump to the forefront.

* * *

"Starscream! That's it isn't it. Your related to Starscream."

* * *

Sunstorm paused as he secured Will to the makeshift examination table. Sunstorm pulled the belts a little too tight next. "You're what…siblings right or is it you just got some of his spare parts." That earned Will pain as Sunstorm's micro cables descended from his hand and plunged into his torso, arms, and legs.

* * *

An intense light was pulsing along the lines and disappearing into William's body. He arched upon the table as spasms of pain raked up and down his body. Fire danced on every nerve ending. He would have screamed if able to. He would have to have moved his muscles in his chest and right now that seemed impossible.

* * *

Slowly the pain was receding, and Will felt hot. Yes, he was getting hot, and sweat was beginning to condense upon his brow and soak his clothes. He looked over at Sunstorm and noticed the red tinge to the lines leading from the mech's body into his own. He felt especially hot where the cables entered.

* * *

"What..are…you….doing?" It was all Will could get out. He felt so awful at the moment.

* * *

Sunstorm didn't respond to him verbally. He took another cable that was drawn from his chest and laid it over Will. Then with his free hand he turned Will's head to have greater access to his spinal cord at the base and entrance to his brain. Sunstorm attached the cord linking his central core to Will's.

* * *

Will was in sensory overload. He didn't know what he was seeing, hearing, or feeling. His skin was on fire, and he felt every movement of air upon his exposed skin. It was stranger, new, and painful, oh so very painful. Will's eyes rolled into the back of his head as this new cord began pulsing faster.

* * *

Soon Will slipped into oblivion as Sunstorm continue to monitor him and adjust not only the data he was sending but also the microscopic nanobots that were going to redesign and replace certain components of Will's physical make-up to Sunstorm's specification.

* * *

Sunstorm had the knowledge vested in him from Vector Sigma; he had been granted the knowledge from Vector Sigma on the process used to reform biological matter into techno-matter. Vector Sigma had shared much, so much at first that it had overloaded his own processors. They had all turned against him when he was just trying to help his own race.

* * *

Time in space had allowed him to adjust and now he was ready, ready to use that knowledge as he saw fit. This time it would be different. This time he had a new plan.

**At the holding area…**

Ironhide scanned the area with a view of the charred remains. He detected them before they got to the gate. Prowl and Cliffjumper were flanking out on either side looking for anything that could have done this. Ironhide approached one of the bodies and scanned it.

* * *

The bone structure identified it as human, male and in its late thirties. A melted dog tag sat in the middle of its chest. The story was similar to all the others he scanned. His processors whirled and whined as he looked for his charge. He was hoping to not find him among his men.

* * *

Epps and Cliffjumper were searching the holding facility when they made the grizzly discovery of the two scientists. They didn't look real; it was like some bad Halloween corpses thrown over the debris, but Epps and Cliffjumper knew better after seeing the bodies outside. Epps search more of the area as Cliffjumper kept lookout.

* * *

Ironhide had secured the perimeter and Prowl had searched all adjacent buildings without finding anything out of the ordinary in those buildings.

* * *

"Ironhide, we have accounted for all but one member of this detail…Lennox." Prowl hated having to inform his friend of this fact, but it was fact and nothing was going to make it any easier to hear.

* * *

"We found this," Epps held up Will's jacket and military issued shirt. "Looks like it went to war with a cup of coffee and lost. At some point he had time to change." Cliffjumper came forward. "I scanned the interior and detected some weird energon reading. I'm not sure what to make of it."

* * *

Ironhide looked at the scans deep in thought. 'This looks familiar' Ironhide pondered at the data screen. Then Ironhide let out a string of phrases in Cybertronian that Epps couldn't follow.

* * *

"What's he saying," Epps wanted to know. Cliffjumper leaned forward, "Use your imagination and you've got it. Other than that, I won't even begin to translate that." Prowl nodded as Epps looked over at him.

* * *

Ironhide was still throwing out strings of Cybertronian that Epps imagined would make a sailor blush profusely. Ironhide suddenly straighten up and turned to face them. "We'll wait for the human forces to arrive and secure this sight. Then we need to head back to base immediately. Things are about to get bad, really bad.

* * *

"What do you mean?" Epps was curious now.

Ironhide growled out, "I've seen this energy output before. It's the signature of a very messed up bot. Even his own keep their distance from him. He was supposed to be off-lined a long time ago. Like I was saying if it's him, we and this planet are in for a world of hurt."

* * *

Epps was getting agitated now. "Well, how bad can he be?"

* * *

Ironhide growled, "He makes Starscream seem sane." Epps raised his eyebrows, "I take it that's something."

* * *

"For Starscream to be sane, yeah, he is really bad," Cliffjumper replied.

* * *

**Back at the base…**

When Ironhide's team had returned, he went straight to Optimus Prime to report all they had found and give him his suspicions about who he thought had abducted Will Lennox.

* * *

"It's him. That crazy, lunatic of a decepticon is back Optimus, and he has Will with him. We have got to find Will before it's too late. The crazy son of a garbage scowl somehow survived, and he's back to wreck havoc on all of us again."

* * *

Optimus Prime allowed Ironhide to finish his tirade before speaking. "Are you sure about the readings?" "Oh yeah," Ironhide stated matter-of-factly, "I had Ratchet run the data against what we had stored in our data base. It was a match for the base energy with a new strand from that last encounter."

* * *

Optimus nodded his head. He remembered that encounter. "So, Sunstorm has returned." Not too soon after the initial meeting with Ironhide, Optimus Prime called a meeting with the heads of the departments at the base to relate what they discovered and suspected.

* * *

"We believe that the Cybertronian known as Sunstorm was revived at the holding facility and eliminated the humans he perceived as a threat. He has unique abilities and weapon resources that make him a formidable opponent.

* * *

He can utilize light and heat to his advantage. You can see the effects of how he can use those in the pictures taken of Lennox's men upon the ground. He is also mentally unstable for a Cybertronian due to a computer bank of excessive knowledge being downloading into his brain. He couldn't handle it, and he went insane. It took the joint efforts of both Decepticons and Autobots to defeat him last time. I can only hope that he will not want to stay on this planet and will move on."

* * *

"You mean to tell me that this one bot is that powerful?" One of the generals leaned forward after reading the reports and listening to Optimus.

* * *

"I'm saying that I do not wish humans to engage him. The consequences would be to great on your end. You would not stand a chance against him. Your defensive policy assures me that there will be more human causalities before this is over. I would request the acknowledgement that I plan to engage in offensive measures to address Sunstorm and whatever he is up to."

* * *

Another general replied, "You want our permission to go after him then?"

* * *

"No sir,..." Optimus leveled his gaze at the Generals in question, "... I did not request nor need your permission to handle this…situation. I merely want you aware that you are in danger and had you disclosed the nature of the ALL space debris you had recovered, this might have been avoided."

* * *

With that Optimus Prime nodded once to those he regularly saw at the base and left to coordinate with his own mechs.

**Thank you for the reviews! I'll try to update again tomorrow! If you didn't realize Sunstorm is a mech from cannon as well as Victor Sigma. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Grey Walls.

* * *

Cold. Very cold.

* * *

The senses that greeted Will as he awoke were the chilly air, the hard surface beneath him and the grey walls and pipes above him. 'Where…," for a moment Will was disoriented, not remembering then the flood came. Images and conversations of the past day slammed into his brain with painful speed.

* * *

Spilt coffee, whirling metal, burnt bodies, burnt orange…burnt orange…" Now he remembered.

* * *

The Cybertronian Sunstorm had kidnapped him. The burnt orange with hues of flame marked every part of the mech.

* * *

Will raised a hand and swiped it over his face, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He looked down and remembered what he had looked like the last time he was awake. He remembered the cables, the lights, and the heat, oh he remembered the heat.

* * *

Now as he scanned every inch, there was no mark, no holes, not every a scrap upon his skin. His clothes were the only things bearing the signs of what had happened to him. Rips in the pants of both thighs, a gaping hole in the chest of his shirt. His long sleeves would have to be made into short sleeves if they were to be salvaged.

* * *

There was one more.

* * *

Will gentle probed the back of his head and neck, but everything felt fine, no lumps or bumps present. 'Where is Sunstorm," Will pondered as he began to sit up.

* * *

He made his was over to the door. As he opened it, a blast of icy wind hit him. The cold biting at every exposed surface and attacking his lungs as he inhaled the chilly air.

* * *

'Oh man what I wouldn't give to be warm.' Suddenly a warm sensation swelled in the pit of this stomach and radiated outward. It spread quickly and swept down his legs and out his arms. Even his neck and face were comfortable now against the frosty sting of nature's fury.

* * *

'What's going on,' Will wondered as he continued to advance outside the building. A few steps further and he noticed Sunstorm.

* * *

"I trust your upgrades are in working order. The environmental responders appear to be working well."

* * *

Will's jaw dropped for before it started working. "Environmental responders? You did what exactly to me? I want a straight answer, and I want it now." Will was getting madder, and he began to flush.

* * *

"Your emotional response is affecting your temperature output. I will have to make a finer adjustment." Sunstorm became stiff and before Will could give him a good piece of his mind, he got a piece of his own mind handed to him.

* * *

Of course it was seconds after Sunstorm had done a number on it. "What was that?", screamed an irate Will at Sunstorm. "Haven't you ever heard of privacy!"

* * *

Sunstorm high-mindedly replied, "Privacy would denote the need for secrets; you will have none from me. Therefore privacy is irrelevant in your position."

* * *

Now Will steamed, literally. The wisps of vapors were rising and disappearing into the air around him. Will clinched his fists several times in an effort to regain control.

* * *

He didn't believe it would be wise to antagonize Sunstorm too much, but oh how he wanted to so badly.

* * *

"O.K., Let's start over with why exactly you need me and why you did whatever it was that you did back in there." Will pointed back to the building to emphasize his point, his raised eyebrows stressing his articulation to Sunstorm.

* * *

The large mech shifted his gaze toward Will, the building, then back to Will. "Necessary. You are a vehicle by which I will be able to access areas of this planet, without such I could not move about permanently. There will also be times when stealth is required among the species of this planet that my current form can not provide. I will need your 'human' mobility as such I also had to ensure complete compliance with my directives. Since the durations of my objectives may take longer than your species normal functionality, a transference into a more durable substance was required. Your current form still mimics the human form, however the longevity and durability our in accord with my origins."

* * *

Shock.

* * *

Like the wall of a cresting wave pounding down upon a hapless victim in the surf, Will stared at Sunstorm before looking away. Looking anywhere but at the mech.

* * *

Will didn't know whether to laugh or cry at what he had heard. He looked at his hands, flexed his fingers and then ran his fingers through his hair.

* * *

It felt the same. His hands looked the same too. Will didn't feel any different.

* * *

No, wait. He did feel something.

* * *

It wasn't that is was painful or discomfort able. No, it was the pain and aches that were missing.

* * *

He hasn't noticed that they were gone. The sore back and stiff shoulder that would always announce their presence at the worst times, they weren't there anymore.

* * *

Instead, he felt nothing! No, not quite right.

* * *

He did feel it, but it was a feeling that hadn't been present in so long he almost missed it. He felt young again. Not in the sense of teenage vigor, but just that he didn't hurt anymore.

* * *

Joints moved freely without popping, and the whincing that came with each low bend. He reached down to touch his toes.

* * *

It was gone.

* * *

Human? Was he human?

* * *

He looked the same on the outside, he thought. Did that mean that he didn't look the same on the inside? Did he lose something? Anything that was important?

* * *

He shuddered at the implications forming in his mind. He knew that the only ones that could possibly answer them with any honesty would be Ironhide and Ratchet.

* * *

Yes, they would tell him what had happened because they would know what had been done to him. They would be familiar and know what to do to fix this. Now all he had to do was get back to his friends, especially Ironhide. Yeah, Ironhide would know what to do and get Ratchet to fix it. That's what friends would do for each other. Will relaxed a bit as his plan formulated in his head.

* * *

"You will not be requiring the assistance of your 'friends'. You don't need further alterations. Your upgrades will make maintenance checks less frequent thus no need to seek out past acquaintances," Sunstorm remarked.

* * *

'Geee, that makes me feel so much better that I don't need to see my friends," Will remarked with a sarcastic smile.

* * *

"Why would it matter?" Sunstorm replied with an air of curiosity.

* * *

"Why would it matt…Are you serious? "Man, I bet you are the life of the party with your friends," Will steamed as he inspected the outward countenance of Sunstorm.

* * *

Will heard the whirling of gears and optics as Sunstorm regarded him. Will received the impression he had just hit a sore spot with the mech. Will gathered it was the latter part of his comment that had struck a processor inside Sunstorm. He decided to take a chance and approached the imposing mech.

* * *

"You do know what friends are, don't you?"

* * *

"Yes, however they are not always necessary." Sunstorm continued to stare off into the sky in deep retrospective thought.

* * *

Will took a bold move and asked a more direction question. "Do you have any friends?" Will waited for a reply, "Sunstorm?"

The mech turned toward him again. "Friends are not required for my objectives. They are not necessary."

* * *

Before he would continue, Will jumped into his diatribe.

* * *

"Friends are needed even when you think they're not. When you don't think you need one, it's the time you really NEED one. Don't you have anyone?"

* * *

Sunstorm didn't reply to the question. 'Oh boy! He's going to be such a hard case,' Will pondered to himself. 'I'm going out on a limb here, but here goes.'

**Meanwhile…**

Ironhide had scoured all available data from the satellites, hoping to garner some intelligence as to where Sunstorm could be holding up with Will.

* * *

Whoooop!

* * *

Another dented surface on military tables as Ironhide received a negative report from the data. 'He has to be somewhere,' reasoned the seasoned strategist. 'I'm not giving up. I'll get Will back and when I do, if there's a hair out of place, Sunstorm is going to pay.'

* * *

Ironhide's cannons whirled and clicked as his anger rose. It blazed as firey as the morning sun that came inching above the horizon.

* * *

He had spent all his time searching for Sunstorm knowing that when he located the rogue mech, he would fine Will Lennox, his friend, his … It was hard to admit that the human had managed to find a place inside his spark chamber that hadn't had anyone to care about in many a countless vorns.

* * *

Both he and Optimus had, as well as many others, searched for Sunstorm but to no avail. It was if the mech and human had just disappeared.

* * *

For over a quartex, Ironhide had spent every waking astrosecond looking for them. A hand descended upon Ironhide's shoulder.

* * *

"You have tried everything you could old friend. We have to be patient and believe that we will find them." Optimus' eyes were heavy with concern as he stared into the face of his old friend.

* * *

"I've tried Optimus. I've tried everything I know to do, but it's not enough. I can't them," Ironhide conceded. His shoulder drooped even further than before. "It's like they disappeared into a black hole. I'm not even sure that… that Will is alive. You know what Sunstorm was like last time we encountered him. What if he…"

* * *

Optimus took hold of Ironhide by place both hands on his shoulders. "Don't talk of things we don't know yet as if they have happened. We don't know the fate of Will Lennox. We may not know for some time, but we will eventually learn it. Time is sometimes our worst enemy. A human month has pasted but we still have hope. It is the one thing that all of us have right now. Hope in the future Ironhide. Hope that all will be revealed and that we will bring Will Lennox home …one way or another."

* * *

The sad quality of Optimus' voice settled on Ironhide and made him quiver down to his shocks.

* * *

'one way or another' thought Ironhide.

* * *

He didn't want to have to bring Will home in any way but complete, whole, intact …alive.

* * *

Yes, most importantly it had to be alive. That was the only way which could ease the ladling pain in his spark. Ironhide nodded his understanding towards Optimus. He couldn't voice his thoughts just now fore he doubted it would come out right.

* * *

He turned back to the computer bay, turned back to begin again his vigil that might just lead them to Sunstorm and in turn Will Lennox.

**Author's Note: Sorry so late updating, been sick and work piling up. I'll try to have another up Sunday night. I look forward to your reviews. They keep me going. :)**

**Quartex = one Earth month (source wiki)**


End file.
